Charlotte Tilbury Medium (4) Hollywood Flawless Filter Review & Swatches
Medium (4)
Charlotte Tilbury Medium (4) Hollywood Flawless Filter ($44.00 for 30.00 oz.) is a light-medium beige with warm, golden undertones and a luminous sheen. This was the least warm-toned shade that I’ve swatched within the formula, so I could see it being more versatile across undertones as a result. The texture was smooth, lightweight, thin, and fluid without being watery (more like a cross between water and gel), which helped it blend well with moisturizer, primer, or foundation or be spread across larger areas (like all over the face). The doe-foot applicator made getting just a touch out easier for highlighting the high points of the face, though it was less useful for getting product for mixing in.
It worked well all-over the skin for a dewier finish that paired well with buildable coverage foundation (full coverage often covered the effect too much), strategically applied to high points of the face (either before or after foundation), and as a primer to help base products go on more smoothly. As a standalone highlighter, this shade stayed on well for eight and a half hours.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Natasha Denona Light (PiP, ) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Scintillate (Illuminate) (LE, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Makeup Revolution Liquid Euphoric Gold (P, $9.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Becca Orbit (2) (P, $30.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Original (P, $38.00) is more shimmery, less glossy (90% similar).
- Tarte Exposed (P, $29.00) is more shimmery, warmer, less glossy (90% similar).
- Givenchy African Light Gold (LE, $41.00) is less glossy (90% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Fair (2.5) (P, $44.00) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Medium (4.5) (P, $44.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
- elf 2 (Fair/Light Neutral Warm) (P, $14.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$44.00/1 oz. - $44.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be a "customizable complexion booster" that can be used as a primer, highlighter, or mixed with base products. The line includes seven shades, like a more typical foundation or concealer range, but they have sheerer coverage and fine pearl, so there is some flexibility, though for added luminosity (but not altering color) all-over, one would want to choose a shade closer to their actual skin tone.
It has a jumbo-sized, doe-foot applicator, which I preferred for spot highlighting and priming but isn't as functional for mixing in with base products (compared to a pump). I find that the lighter shades look very similar when mixed with foundation or layered under it, so the shade range is more flexible than it might seem (for some skin tones).
The texture was smooth and lightweight, like a thin gel-based primer in feel, so the product easily spread across my skin for an all-over application (worn as primer, per the brand), and it made my skin look radiant. I can see one person finding that finish to look "oily," and another person to feel like it looks beautifully glowing--it's definitely very radiant on its own, so I'd recommend strategically applying it over bare skin, like a very diffused highlighter, or mixing it in with moisturizer if you're someone who wants glow but not full-on dewiness.
I also liked to gently swiped the product on using the included doe-foot applicator on the high planes of my face, diffused and blended (over a greater area than I would have if using it specifically to highlight my cheekbones) and gently dabbed foundation over it. I recommend using a sheer to medium coverage foundation over something full coverage, because full coverage will work better when it's mixed in otherwise the coverage level will tamp down the luminosity quite a bit.
As a standalone highlighter, it gave me a lit-from-within-glow that was luminous but not tacky or truly glossy, just looked dewy on my skin. It worked as well over bare skin as it did blended on top of foundation for me. On its own, it lasted well for nine hours with minimal fading and no migration as a cheek highlighter. As a primer, it seemed to help my makeup go on more smoothly but I didn't notice any extension of wear (but no shortening either); though the brand made no claim about it extending longevity, only that it would improve the finish and give skin a glow (so I didn't rate it down for not extending the wear).
Browse all of our Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter swatches.
Ingredients
There’s been one too warm, one too dark, 2 too light….and finally, one just right!
The neutral undertones won me over! This would make for a beautiful mixerin for my foundation, I believe. Not sure that it would do anything used underneath my Lancome Teint Idole 24H Foundation, though. Lancome seems to have reformulated it, as my new bottle has a less heavy coverage, so perhaps it would?
I actually bought this products without reading any review or a lot of people talking about it.. I actually enjoy it.. and I do recommend it .. perfect natural glow.